Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a noninvasive medical imaging technique based on a phenomenon of nuclear physics discovered in the 1930s, in which matter exposed to magnetic fields and radio waves was found to emit radio signals. In 1970, a physician and researcher named Raymond Damadian noticed that malignant (cancerous) tissue gave off different signals than normal body tissue. He applied for a patent for the first MRI scanning device in clinical use by the early 1980s. The early MRI scanners were crude, but advances in digital computing and electronics led to their advancement over any other technique for precise imaging, especially in discovering tumors. Compared to other diagnostic imaging techniques like computed tomography and X-ray, MRI does not expose patients to radiation.
The drawbacks of MRI scans include their much higher cost and patient discomfort with the procedure. The MRI scanner subjects the patient to such powerful electromagnets that the scan room must be shielded. The patient must be enclosed in a metal tube-like device for the duration of the scan, sometimes as long as thirty minutes, which can be uncomfortable and impractical for ill patients. The machine is also so noisy that, even with earplugs, patients can become anxious or fearful. These problems have been overcome somewhat with the development of "open" MRI scanning, which does not require the patient to be entirely enclosed in a metal tube. Patients with iron-containing metallic implants (internal sutures, some prosthetic devices, pacemakers and so on) cannot undergo MRI scanning because it can dislodge these implants.
Different images are formed depending on the time taken between the sequence of magnetic pulses and the receipt and interpretation of the signal. A T1-weighted image has fatty tissues appearing brighter due to their enhanced signal while suppressing water signals, making it appear darker. In contrast, the T2-weighted image shows an enhanced water signal. Further, using MRI contrast media or dyes, like gadolinium, helps improve the quality of the images. Usually injected into the patient's vein, the gadolinium contrast dyes contain strongly paramagnetic gadolinium (Gd), which has positive magnetic susceptibility. When placed in a magnetic field, it is not directly seen in the MRI result but helps shorten the T1 values in tissues, where it accumulates, which allows the tissues to appear brighter in T1-weighted images.
Functional MRIs (fMRI), which detect the concentration of blood flow in certain body parts, are increasingly being used to study the activity in parts of the brain during various body activities. This has helped scientists learn more about the locations of different brain functions and more about brain abnormalities and diseases. More recently, 4D flow MRI provides 3D blood flow images and hemodynamics, with the fourth dimension being time, allowing cardiovascular disease assessment through the 3D coverage of the anatomy and velocity.
This content is derived from Openstax, Anatomy and Physiology, Section 1.7: Medical Imaging
